Forthcoming Research Seminars and Lectures

10th May 2012: Donnchadh O'Connaill (Durham) - Minimal Truthmaking

(26 April 2012)

Weekly Research Seminar

This seminar will be held in room 005, 48/49 Old Elvet, Durham.  Refreshments will be served from 11am with the talk commencing  at 11.30am.

Title: Minimal Truthmaking

Abstract:

A minimal truthmaker for a given proposition is the smallest portion of reality which can make this proposition true. Minimal truthmakers are frequently mentioned in the literature, and have been referred to as "of quite special importance for metaphysics" (Armstrong 2004, 19). However, there has been no systematic account of what minimal truthmakers are or of their importance. In this paper, we shall address each of these issues. We shall clarify the notion of a minimal truthmaker for a given proposition, and argue that there is reason to think that at least some propositions have minimal truthmakers. In the course of arguing for the latter claim, we shall outline how minimal truthmakers are particularly useful in helping to explain the truth of certain propositions as precisely as possible.